Understanding a Gas Safety Certificate: A UK Homeowner's Guide

A Gas Safety Certificate records the results of a safety check on your gas appliances, pipework, and flues. It confirms whether each item is safe to use at the time of the check.

Landlords are legally required to have this check carried out every year by a Gas Safe registered engineer. Homeowners are not legally required to have one, but an annual check is still strongly recommended.

Every Gas Safe registered engineer carries an ID card with their licence number and the types of gas work they are qualified to carry out. Ask to see this card before work begins.

You can check the licence number on the Gas Safe Register website. Do this even if the engineer has worked for you before, since registration can lapse or change.

A Gas Safety Certificate is easy to misplace, particularly if it is kept as a paper copy. Losing it means starting again with no record of previous checks.

Keeping a digital copy alongside a record of who carried out the work means the certificate is available whenever you need it, including if you come to sell your home.

A Gas Safety Certificate is valid for 12 months from the date of the check. Set a reminder ahead of the expiry date so a new check can be booked in good time.

If you move into a property and cannot find a recent certificate, treat this as a reason to book a check as soon as possible, rather than assuming the gas appliances are safe.